Video and audio broadcasters engage in performing or otherwise broadcasting audio and visual productions or programs. Typically, such performances are provided to the broadcasters on magnetic and optical recording media, such as video and audio disks and tapes, over satellite or network feeds, from live performances, and the like. The broadcasters rebroadcast these performances over their networks. Each broadcast may be considered an exhibition of the performance.
Various examples of networks, such as cable TV networks, operated by broadcasters are known to those skilled in the art. Such networks provide occasional programming on a pay-per-view (PPV) basis. Broadcasters would like to increase the quantity of pay-per-view programming because such programming may help them reduce the risks associated with licensing certain high-priced performances for exhibition. Increased pay-per-view programming would also provide a more fair basis for charging subscribers for the programming services that are delivered to their premises. In other words, subscribers would be able to pay a fair price for only that programming that they actually view rather than pay averaged prices for a variety of programming, much of which they do not actually view.
One impediment to providing more extensive PPV programming has been the cumbersome techniques used in ordering the PPV services. Another impediment to providing more extensive PPV programming has been the lack of an ability to have programming available when a subscriber wishes to view it. It is common knowledge that viewers prefer to make programming selections on impulse. In other words, viewers tend not to think ahead about the programming that they may want to view at a later time. They prefer not to commit themselves to viewing a particular program at a particular future interval in time but rather to decide on impulse that they want to view some sort of programming at the present time.